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    Having trouble installing my 3700m

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by idiotpilot, Oct 4, 2010.

  1. idiotpilot

    idiotpilot Notebook Evangelist

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    So I recently bought a 3700m off of ebay for 180. The site said they didnt have a chance to test the graphics cards. I know that the card is fully compatible with my computer model, as some other members on this forum were able to install it without a problem. When I got the card, it booted fine into windows. However, about a minute after fully loading windows, it crashed. Now, whenever I have the 3700m in the computer, it turns on but won't boot to BIOS. I haven't upgraded my bios or vbios on this computer. Any ideas, guys? :confused:
     
    idiotpilot, Oct 4, 2010
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  2. idiotpilot

    idiotpilot Notebook Evangelist

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    My old card, which stills works, is a gts 160m
     
    idiotpilot, Oct 4, 2010
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  3. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    The VBIOS is located on the card itself. Hmm. Can you put the GTS 160m back in, update the BIOS and try it again?
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Oct 4, 2010
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  4. idiotpilot

    idiotpilot Notebook Evangelist

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    I've never updated a BIOS in my life =X Did you mean the video bios or the computer's BIOS?
     
    idiotpilot, Oct 4, 2010
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  5. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    Regular notebook MoBo BIOS. It's a painless procedure. Download the update from MSI's site, run the installer... and voilà! During the update, the keyboard, and mouse/touchpad may become unresponsive, and the fan may go full blast, but don't worry. That's normal. Oh and exit ALL other programs. You might want to disconnect from the internet, so you can temporarily disable your antivirus if you have any.

    EDIT: It seems the VBIOS on HP's 3700m's is located in the system BIOS. I'm still reading though.
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Oct 4, 2010
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  6. idiotpilot

    idiotpilot Notebook Evangelist

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    I downloaded it, though there was no installer file. I did run the exe file and then the flash file, and nothing really happened. :?
     
    idiotpilot, Oct 4, 2010
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  7. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    What do you mean "nothing"? As in when you launched the flash tool, you got no visual confirmation that anything was happening?
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Oct 4, 2010
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  8. idiotpilot

    idiotpilot Notebook Evangelist

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    yes, no visuals or anything. and regedit lists the bios as untouched.
     
    idiotpilot, Oct 4, 2010
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  9. idiotpilot

    idiotpilot Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm considering it to be a DOA card and am probably going to return it at this point.
     
    idiotpilot, Oct 5, 2010
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  10. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    Could be. But the little issue with your BIOS is interesting though. I do know that HP's 3700m's are different than normal. You may have gotten an HP pull.
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Oct 5, 2010
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  11. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    MSI needs you to boot into dos to flash the bios.
    There is a tool that can help you do this on the MSI forum (currently down I think).

    The 3700m does have a vBIOS on the card.

    I don't think updating the bios or vbios would help, since it worked for a little while.

    But updating the system bios wont hurt.

    BTW I'm using a card pulled from an HP.
     
    moral hazard, Oct 5, 2010
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  12. niffcreature

    niffcreature ex computer dyke

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    I think that updating or reflashing the bios could definitely help. there are also 2 you can try.
    I sold a 3700m to kingpinzero and he had a lot of strange experiences before getting it to work correctly. I think the later .10 bios is somewhat more compatible.

    He totally gave up but I urged him to continue trying to flash the vbios even if blindly. I think thanks to me the card is now working and not in the trashcan.
    The newer VBIOS is here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...ebook-8730w-owners-lounge-71.html#post5940044

     
    niffcreature, Oct 5, 2010
    #12